Systems, methods, and computer program products for providing real-time validation of container loading and positioning data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10956853-B2
Application number	US-201916272574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Mar 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

Various embodiments provide systems, methods, and computer program products for providing dynamic real-time verification and validation of data associated with the receiving, loading, and positioning of a plurality of containers upon a transport vehicle. One or more computer processors are configured to: receive actual load data associated with at least one container; retrieve at least a portion of expected load data associated with the container for which actual load data has been received; verify the actual weight of the one of the plurality of packages and in response to a successful verification identifying no load weight discrepancies, validate the actual load position of the one of the plurality of packages. In response to a successful validation, at least one communication configured to facilitate at least one of further loading of the plurality of packages may be generated. If validation is unsuccessful, further loading may be prevented.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A load to position system for receiving, loading, and positioning of a plurality of containers upon a transport vehicle, said system comprising:
one or more hardware processors and computer storage media storing computer-executable instructions and components that, when executed, by the one or more hardware processors, cause the one or more hardware processors to:
receive, via a mobile device, actual load data associated with at least one of the plurality of containers to be transported upon the transport vehicle, the actual load data comprising at least a container identification number, an actual load weight, and an actual load position for the at least one of the plurality of containers;
retrieve expected load data associated with the at least one of the plurality of containers based at least in part upon identifying the container identification number in the actual load data, the expected load data comprising at least a container information number, an expected load weight, an expected load position, and an expected load sequence for each of the plurality of containers;
in response to determining that a load weight discrepancy exists based at least in part on a comparison of the expected load weight and the actual load weight, automatically determine a mitigating action from a plurality of mitigating actions, the mitigating action being configured to at least one of alleviate or eliminate the determined load weight discrepancy, the determination of the mitigating action comprising automatically recalculating at least a mitigated expected load sequence; and
automatically generate and transmit to a user interface of the mobile device a selectable indication of the mitigating action.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination that the load weight discrepancy exists is performed in a substantially real-time fashion by one or more users of the system as said one or more users coordinate loading of the plurality of containers upon the transport vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determination that the load weight discrepancy exists is performed via one or more mobile devices associated with the system, so as to enable one or more users of the system to flexibly capture and record the actual load data throughout a process of loading plurality of containers upon the transport vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mitigating action comprises at least two identified mitigating actions and the selectable indication comprises a listing thereof for user selection of one of the at least two identified mitigating actions for initiation thereof.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined load weight discrepancy is configured such that anything less than an exact match between the expected load data and the actual load data comprises a discrepancy.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined load weight discrepancy is configured such that any difference in excess of a pre-established threshold between the expected load data and the actual load data comprises a discrepancy.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one communication indicative of the load weight discrepancy is transmitted to a first user of the system; and
the at least one communication indicative of the load weight discrepancy is transmitted to a second user of the system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport vehicle is an aircraft.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to transmit the selectable indication of the mitigating action to at least one user of the system upon generation thereof.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transmission is electronic and the transmission is an alert message.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are, in response to a determination of no load weight discrepancy, further configured to:
conduct a final comparison of the actual load data against the expected load data, the final comparison being configured to compare a plurality of parameters within the actual load data against a corresponding plurality of parameters within the expected load data so as to determine whether one or more accuracy discrepancies exist;
in response to a successful confirmation of no accuracy discrepancies, generate at least one communication configured to facilitate at least one of further loading of the plurality of containers or departure of the transport vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the final comparison comprises an electronically processed side-by-side comparison of the plurality of parameters associated with the actual load data against the corresponding plurality of parameters associated with the expected load data.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein, upon the successful confirmation, the one or more hardware processors are further configured to generate a finalized manifest comprising at least the actual load data.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured to transmit at least one of the finalized manifest or an indication thereof to one or more users of the system.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more users of the system comprise at least a flight crew that may rely at least in part upon the finalized manifest for authorizing departure of the transport vehicle.

16. A computer-implemented method for receiving, loading, and positioning of a plurality of containers upon a transport vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving, via a mobile device, actual load data associated with at least one of the plurality of containers, the actual load data comprising at least a container identification number, an actual load weight, and an actual load position for the at least one of the plurality of containers;
retrieving, via at least one computer processor, at least a portion of expected load data associated with the at least one of the plurality of containers, the retrieval being based at least in part upon identifying the corresponding container identification number in the actual load data, the expected load data comprising at least a container information number, an expected load weight, an expected load position, and an expected load sequence for each of the plurality of containers;
in response to determining that a load weight discrepancy exists based at least in part on a comparison of the expected load weight and the actual load weight, automatically determining a mitigating action from a plurality of mitigating actions, the mitigating action being configured to at least one of alleviate or eliminate the load weight discrepancy, the determination of the mitigating action comprising automatically recalculating at least a mitigated expected load sequence; and
automatically generating and transmitting, to a user interface of the mobile device, a selectable indication of the mitigating action.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein the determination that the weight discrepancy exists is performed via the mobile device, so as to enable a user to flexibly capture and record the actual load data throughout a process of loading the plurality of containers upon the transport vehicle.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
transmitting, via the that the at least one computer processor, the selectable indication of the mitigating action to at least one user upon generation thereof;
receiving an indication that the mitigating action has been completed; and

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Arora Shikha
• Guilford Todd
• Lam Wai
• Peck Cindy

Classifications

• G01G19/40

  with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight (indicating means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; recording means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; computers in general G06) · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832 Primary

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title

• B64D9/00

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title

• G06Q10/08 Primary

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title